Elaine stepped out of the summit hall, the night air crisp against her flushed skin. Each breath burned in her chest, sharp and fleeting, like her life was already fading into the wind. Her steps were careful as she descended the stone steps, her fingers brushing along the cold railing for balance.
Under the silver street lamps, Liam’s face looked less playful and more earnest.
“Let me drive you home,” he said.
She hesitated. For a moment, the old Elaine flickered inside her, the one who always turned down favors, always worried about inconveniencing others. She wasn’t her anymore. She gave him a small nod.
“Alright.”
Liam’s luxury SUV was warm, smelling faintly of his cologne, something crisp with an undertone of woodsmoke. The leather seats embraced her like a tired s
